1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid cooled x-radiator, and in particular to a liquid cooled x-radiator having a circulation cooling means for the coolant.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A liquid cooled x-radiator is described in patent abstracts of Japan, Vol. 9, No. 266 (JP-A-No. 60 112 296 (Oct. 23, 1985) having a housing filled with an electriclly insulating coolant and a circulation means for the coolant. The housing has a radiation passage window and an x-ray tube disposed in the housing. The circulation means includes a cooler connected to the housing by two coolant lines and a circulating pump. The coolant circulation system is closed.
In this known structure, the circulation cooling means and the x-radiator are spatially separated from each other, thereby requiring considerable additional installation space. The necessity for such additional installation space poses particular problems if it is desired to incorporate such an x-radiator in an existing x-ray system. The circulation cooling means of this known x-radiator includes a blower for generating an air stream directed over a coolant line, however, this known x-radiator is unsuitable for uses wherein the x-ray tube is exposed to high loads, because the cooling capacity of the cooling means is not sufficient.
Another x-radiator of this type is described in Medical X-ray Technique, Philips Technical Library, 1961, page 34. In this structure as well, the circulation cooling means and the x-radiator are spatially separated from each other, so that the aforementioned disadvantages are present. The circulating cooling means in this x-radiator has an increased cooling capacity in comparison to the radiator disclosed in patent abstracts of Japan because the coolant is conducted into a reservoir wherein a cooling coil in which water flows is disposed. The cooling capacity of this system, however, is still not sufficient for all uses. Moreover, for undisturbed operation of the circulation cooling means, it is necessary that the reservoir is kept in a defined position, so that the circulation cooling means cannot be operated without regard to its position.
Another x-radiator is described in British Published Specification No. 2 018 019, wherein the cooling device is directly attached to the housing of the x-radiator. The cooler is in the form of a pipe coil disposed in the airstream of a blower, so that the cooling capacity which can be achieved is still insufficient. The same problems of installation space and position-dependent functioning of the circulation cooling means are also present.